Microlicensing system and method

Abstract

A microlicensing system comprising: (a) a searchable database of licensable data elements; (b) search and select means which allows a user to select an individual one of said data elements according to criteria set by said user, (c) means for setting terms and conditions for use of said individual one of said data elements so as to define an identifiable transaction; (d) means for transmission of said individual one of said data elements to a user device; said user device enabling usage of said individual one of said data elements.

1 . A microlicensing system comprising: 
 (a) a searchable database of licensable data elements;    (b) search and select means which allows a user to select an individual one of said data elements according to criteria set by said user;    (c) means for setting terms and conditions for use of said individual one of said data elements so as to define an identifiable transaction;    (d) means for transmission of said individual one of said data elements to a user device; said user device enabling usage of said individual one of said data elements.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said data element includes a licensable component comprising an image component.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said data element includes associated primary data.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said data element includes associated transaction-specific data.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said primary data includes author identity, model identity and agent identity information.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein said associated transaction-specific data includes license terms, license constraints and financial data.  
     
     
         7 . The system of any previous claim further including a pay trigger.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said pay trigger causes calculation of payments at substantially the same time for all stakeholders identified by said system as party to said identifiable transaction.  
     
     
         9 . The system of any one of  claims 1  to  8  wherein said searchable database incorporates a microprocessor and memory.  
     
     
         10 . The system of any previous claim further including an encapsulation device for encoding of at least portions of said desired one of said data elements.  
     
     
         11 . The system of any previous claim further including decoding software.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said decoding software is implemented as a shell program.  
     
     
         13 . The system of any one of  claims 1  to  12  wherein said search and select means incorporates a dynamic tagging means.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said dynamic tagging means comprises a dynamic tagging device.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein said dynamic tagging device logs customer data including customer route data.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein payment to stakeholders and the identity of stakeholders is a function of said payment route data.  
     
     
         17 . The system of any one of  claims 1  to  12  wherein said search and select means incorporates dynamic filter means.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said dynamic filter means permits browsing of at least the licensable portions of said data elements according to predetermined filter criteria.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said predetermined filter criteria include one or more of geographic origin of prospective user, area of commercial endeavour in which said prospective user operates.  
     
     
         20 . The system of any one of  claims 1  to  19  incorporating a dynamic pay map means by which payments to all of the individual ones of said stakeholders are determined.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said dynamic pay map means determines payments as a function of at least a first variable and a second variable.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein said first variable comprises transaction route and said second variable comprises stakeholder identity.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein said second variable is comprised of a constant grouping and a variable grouping.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein said constant grouping comprises a constant stakeholder grouping.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23  or  24  wherein said variable grouping comprises a variable stakeholder grouping.  
     
     
         26 . The system of any one of  claims 20  to  25  wherein said dynamic pay map means determines payments as a function of at least a first variable and a second variable.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein said variables are dynamically allocated by one or more of said dynamic tagging device and said dynamic filter device.  
     
     
         28 . A method of microlicensing works for the benefit of all of the individual ones of a plurality of stakeholders; said method comprising utilising a microlicensing system comprising: 
 (a) a searchable database of licensable data elements;    (b) search and select means which allows a user to select an individual one of said data elements according to criteria set by said user;    (c) means for setting terms and conditions for use of said individual one of said data elements so as to define an identifiable transaction;    (d) means for transmission of said individual one of said data elements to a user device; said user device enabling usage of said individual one of said data elements.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said data element includes a licensable component comprising an image component.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said data element includes associated primary data.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said data element includes associated transaction-specific data.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said primary data includes author identity, model identity and agent identity information.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said associated transaction-specific data includes license terms, license constraints and financial data.  
     
     
         34 . The method of any one of  claims 28  to  33  further including a pay trigger.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein said pay trigger causes calculation of payments at substantially the same time for all stakeholders identified by said system as party to said identifiable transaction.  
     
     
         36 . The method of any one of  claims 28  to  35  wherein said searchable database incorporates a microprocessor and memory.  
     
     
         37 . The method of any one of  claims 28  to  36  further including an encapsulation device for encoding of at least portions of said desired one of said data elements.  
     
     
         38 . The method of any one of  claims 28  to  37  further including decoding software.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said decoding software is implemented as a shell program.  
     
     
         40 . The method of any one of  claims 28  to  39  wherein said search and select means incorporates a dynamic tagging means.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein said dynamic tagging means comprises a dynamic tagging device.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein said dynamic tagging device logs customer data including customer route data.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein payment to stakeholders and the identity of stakeholders is a function of said payment route data.  
     
     
         44 . The method of any one of  claims 28  to  43  wherein said search and select means incorporates dynamic filter means.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein said dynamic filter means permits browsing of at least the licensable portions of said data elements according to predetermined filter criteria.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein said predetermined filter criteria include one or more of geographic origin of prospective user, area of commercial endeavour in which said prospective user operates.  
     
     
         47 . The method of any one of  claims 28  to  46  incorporating a dynamic pay map means by which payments to all of the individual ones of said stakeholders are determined.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  wherein said dynamic pay map means determines payments as a function of at least a first variable and a second variable.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein said first variable comprises transaction route and said second variable comprises stakeholder identity.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein said second variable is comprised of a constant grouping and a variable grouping.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein said constant grouping comprises a constant stakeholder grouping.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50  or  51  wherein said variable grouping comprises a variable stakeholder grouping.  
     
     
         53 . The method of any one of  claims 48  to  52  wherein said dynamic pay map means determines payments as a function of at least a first variable and a second variable.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein said variables are dynamically allocated by one or more of said dynamic tagging device and said dynamic filter device.  
     
     
         55 . A method of calculation of payments to stakeholders; said method comprising calculating according to a pay map the return due to all of the individual ones of said stakeholders at the one time.  
     
     
         56 . Storage media containing software operable according to the system of any one of  claims 1  to  27 .  
     
     
         57 . A distributed real-time restriction control system wherein at least a first licencing entity and a second licencing entity can licence substantially identical licencable elements into common territory; said system including communication means whereby in the event one of said entities licences one or more of said licencable elements, said communication means automatically communicates to all others of said entities any restrictions incorporated in the licence conferred.